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MG MGB Technical - Best Shock Rebuilder?

I purchased a set of 4 rebuilt lever action shocks 7 years ago. The 2 rear units started leaking last year, and are soaked at this point. I have decided to stay with lever shocks, but can't afford new, and want an opinion as to who is the best rebuilder/supplier? My last set was purchased from Brit Tek, not sure of their source and they only lasted 8000 miles.
Joe Dufresne

Peter Caldwell
World Wide Auto Parts
2517 Seiferth Rd Madison, WI 53716
1-800-362-1025
www.nosimport.com
Rick Ingram

In this country, there is only one real choice. World Wide Auto Parts in Madison Wisconsin. Peter Caldwell (who happens to frequent these pages) rebuilds them better than new. http://www.nosimport.com/ IIRC. If not, Peter will correct me (again)
David "NFI" Lieb
David Lieb

Darn, someone beat me to it. I think it is a contest to see how fast we can slip Peter's name in there as soon as someone says "rebuild shock".
David "first loser" Lieb
David Lieb

Joe. Bob Ford, who owns Brit-Tek, is an MGB owner and driver himself. An enthusiast whom I have dealt with many times over the years. Please be so kind as to let him know that the hydraulic dampeners which you purchased have shown these problems. Do not know what he can do for you. But, if he knows that people are having problems with the dampeners he can report that to whomever he is purchasing them from and see if they will stand behind their work. Two years is not a long time when the factory ones lasted for over 20 years. (My 79 is still running the factory dampeners.)Thus, Bob should be informed so that he can advise his clients properly in the future and take what actions are necessary to maintain the fine reputation he has held over the years.

As to Peter's rebuilds, I agree with Rick and David. I installed a set of Peter's rebuilds on my 68 GT and they have done very well over the years. My dealings with both Peter and Bob Ford have been highly satisfactory over a number of years.

Les
Les Bengtson

Peter does great work,Rich O
rich osterhout

X 6 on Peter's R/B lever shocks!
kelly stevenson

To add a bit of detail...
Most shock rebuilders remove the arm, insert a new seal, reassemble and slap on a coat of paint. If the shock happened to be relatively unworn, this can be adequate. However, since the basic design of a front lever-arm shock puts a steel shaft rotating under load in an aluminum body, seldom is the shock unworn. The slop involved is enough that the new seal quickly gets worn and starts leaking.

Peter, however, tears the shocks completely down and machines the body to accept a Delrin bushing. This eliminates the slop from the wear, works better than new, allows the seal to do its intended job and works. Besides, his guarantee does not end after one year.
David "happy customer" Lieb
David Lieb

Joe, Without your email address linked I can't contact you directly. I may be able to help you more than you know. Please contact me OFF this BBS. Peter
Peter Caldwell

Joe-
I have five MGs in my colection and won't use anything other than Peter Caldwell's rebuilt lever arm dampers. They're better than the new ones being produced nowadays.
Stephen Strange

Kudos to Peter Caldwell, I had purchased my shocks through Brit-Tek, who purchased them from a parts distributor in MI, who obtained them from Worldwide Auto parts. Peter contacted me, I sent them to him, he said that his firm rebuilt them 8 years ago (date stamped), and that he would stand behind them and replace free of charge. I am impressed, he sought me out, and wanted the shocks back to see if they were his and what went wrong. A very happy customer, thanks Peter and Happy Holidays to all who populate this site!
Joe Dufresne

I have attended two tech sessions put on by Peter. His knowledge of lever shocks is truly impressive. Have had all shocks from my BGT and my TD rebuilt by his shop.

As Pete says. If your shocks leak, send them to him and they will never leak again. If by chance they do, he will redo them.
BEC Cunha

Here is a copy of Peter's description of what he does to rebuild his shox.

"How World Wide Approaches Rebuilding Lever Shocks…

First. What fails in a lever shock? Almost all of the (non-traumatic) failures result from lack of oil in the shock. The manuals always recommend Checking or topping-up your shox in various intervals 3000 miles or so. Why? Because they leak!.. what a surprise! They don’t leak just because they are British, they leak by design (now there’s a bumper sticker). Speaking here of the rear shox... the shaft that protrudes from the body of the shock is rotating in the body without a bearing. To ensure sufficient lubrication there is often a channel or groove in the shaft bore. At the outside there is a rubber packing retained by a thin metal washer. A packing needs some lubrication to work at all and the weeping of oil acts as a deterrent to dirt getting in. Dirt getting in will score the shaft at the seal area hastening the demise of the packing and wearing the bearing surface in the body.

The solution that all of us rebuilders use is to machine the body and install a bearing. We use Delrin, others use bronze. Bronze requires oil, Delrin doesn’t. We also machine the body for a rotary oil seal (others don’t) (in fact we use a double lip seal with dust excluder). One guy does use a rotary single lip seal and the others use several rubber washers held in place with a steel washer or two. To solve the pitted and scored shaft problem, others sand or grind the shaft down.(you don’t need to be precise with rubber washers) We have manufactured for us, to our specs, stainless steel sleeves that allows us to have a 3 micron finish and consistent diameter and concentricity of the shaft. After many years, we have found this to be very reliable. Our shox don’t leak.

The process... step by step. Receive grimy old shock, tumble clean in a deburring/tumble cleaner. Glass bead blast entire shock. Disassemble. Tumble and hot wash internals. Bead blast the rest of the arm. Machine for
the bearing and for the seal. Wash again. Press in bearing and seal. Press on sleeve. Inspect and repair/replace as necessary the pistons and the
valving. Reassemble components using all new hardware of proper thread and style. Fill with oil and bleed. Compare valving with NOS shock, adjust if necessary. Wash AGAIN. Paint 2 coats primer and 3 coats high heat black enamel. Date code and ship.

There you have it.
Peter Caldwell president. 800 362-1025"
Robert Muenchausen

Pete,well done(as usual),Rich O
rich osterhout

'Leak' is a relative term of course. I gave up checking mine at each service as they never showed any loss. That means of course they don't get checked in many years and tens of thousands of miles. I did actually think about it last spring and although some took a little it was very small. They can be visibly damp around the seals for quite a long time without getting too low, although that is a warning to check them regularly. If they weep onto the crossmember or drip on the floor then that is a trigger to replace them as topping-up is a waste of time.
P Hunt

Peter C...even in far flung NZ I'll order any and all of my MGB shocks from him.

They look so good and act so smooth it was almost a shame to put them on the car!
Curtis Walker

This thread was discussed between 03/12/2009 and 10/01/2010

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